Financing can often be a stressful aspect for students planning their experience abroad, but it doesn’t have to be, and the best way to alleviate that stress is to start planning early! The financial aid office on your home college will be a very important resource, and it will be quite helpful to schedule a meeting with your financial aid advisor as soon as possible. You can find the contact information for RCCD Financial Aid below. Even if you have never used financial aid, it may be worth it to set up an appointment, as some students find that their adjusted cost of attendance for a semester abroad may make them eligible for aid they could not previously access.
Before visiting the Financial Aid Office make sure you have a budget estimate for your program and bring this along to your meeting. It’s also a good idea to have your FAFSA submitted for the academic year you plan to be abroad. More details regarding the FAFSA Form is found here: www.fafsa.gov
Financial Aid package may include grant money, federal loans, and private loans. Each institution has their own policies and processes surrounding financial aid. Students can sometimes find this process challenging, but know that your study abroad and financial aid advisors are here to help.